Are wedding bells in your future? Annual wedding expo will help you prepare.
Are you still needing to say ‘yes’ to the dress? Not sure about the catering menu? Looking forward to hearing wedding bells? Then you’ll need to stop by the Pensacola Bay Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Jan. 7.
“It’s the biggest expo in our region, so that’s pretty exciting,” said Bridal Loft and Coastal Weddings Magazine Owner Alyssa Gryb. “It’s been a year now that I’ve been the new owner, and it has been very exciting to like make this our own. But we’re also making an effort to uphold the legacy that the event has had for so many years.”
The 21st Annual Coastal Weddings Expo is presented by the twice-yearly publication Coastal Weddings Magazine and the Bridal Loft, both of which is owned by Gryb.
“I’ve always had a personal connection with the bridal and the wedding experience,” Gryb said. “I was a bride myself many years ago. I was so drawn to the industry then, and I knew that one day I wanted to work in it.”
When the opportunity to buy both businesses presented itself, she seized it immediately.
“I just knew in my heart and in my gut that it was the right thing for me to pursue,” Gryb said. “So I met with the owners and everything fell smoothly into place. I’m passionate about creating a celebratory space and helping couples celebrate their new life adventure that awaits them.”
At the Coastal Weddings Expo, be prepared to walk down the aisles of more than 100 vendors, ready to help you tie up those loose ends before you tie the knot. Everything from florists to makeup, music and destination travel, can all be found in one place.
“We have a good amount of venues that will be there,” Gryb said. “Like venues from all over, From Navarre, up to Molino, to even Alabama. We have a lot of different photographers lined up, beverage services, DJs, catering, and desserts. You name it, it’s there.”
Including the vendors you’d least expect.
“We have quite a few folks who are into beauty and personal care, which is really nice - like orthodontists,” Gryb said. "Maybe you wouldn’t typically speak of (orthodontists) as a wedding vendor, but then you think about the preparation and things that you want to focus on, especially preparing for your wedding day pictures.”
And don’t count out the grooms just yet. There’s plenty of experiences and vendors on the lineup for them to check out too.
“The beauty and self-care vendors also do self-care and haircuts and styling for the men,” Gryb said. “We have attire for men. There’s also going to be a mobile cigar lounge called Ash and Air that’ll be there. So just a lot of really interesting things to engage the guys as well.”
But that’s not the only thing different and exciting about this year’s Expo. The central theme throughout the event will be focused on the experience, starting way before you walk inside the Pensacola Bay Center.
“When attendees arrive, they’ll be greeted with some of our outdoor vendors,” Gryb said. “So we have some mobile drink vendors, mobile experiences, as well as getaway cars and vehicles that will be outside on the outdoor plaza area. Attendees will be able to hang out and interact with those.”
In addition to the outdoor experiences, attendees will also have an opportunity to participate in giveaways and turn their direction to the main stage throughout the day to watch a wide variety of demonstrations. For Grybe, planning a wedding goes beyond that special day.
“Just our genuine joy and honor to be able to celebrate this next chapter of their lives makes it all the more worth it,” Grybe said. “We truly believe that it’s more than just the expo itself, and that’s really like the drive behind our planning. And seeing the commitment of vendors, celebrating the love that our couples have for each other, and the love that our team has for the the wedding industry makes it all the more worth it.”
Tickets are now on sale online and in person at Perennial Patio Bar, Bridal Loft, Perfect Plain, and the Alyssa’s Etc. For more information, visit www.coastalweddingsmagazine.com/events
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Bay Center wedding expo features 100-plus vendors
